A tale of two full backs at Tottenham

After Spurs clinched the signing of promising full-back duo Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker from Sheffield United back in 2009, it seemed the only way was up for the pair, but in the intervening seasons, one has fared a damn sight better than the other in what really is a tale of the two Kyles.

Kyle Naughton looked all but set to clinch a move to Everton in the summer of 2009, before an £11m joint bid for both him and Walker galumphed the Toffees and they sealed their respective moves to Spurs – a switch Naughton may regret now.

Naughton forced his way into the Blades starting line-up in the 2008/9 season and displayed a maturity to his play that surprised many observers. His excellent form throughout the campaign meant he sealed a place in the Championship PFA Team of the Year at the end of the season. Capable of playing at right midfield as well as right back, Naughton was shifted to left back upon the younger Walker’s emergence to the Blades first-team squad in their eye-catching play-off run.

However, Naughton found his route into the starting eleven at White Hart Lane blocked after his move, with the likes of Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka the preffered choices.

Sensibly, for a young player biding his time, he was farmed out on loan to Middlesbrough in the January transfer window last season, making 15 league appearances and so far this term, he’s been a regular at Leicester since his loan switch with 17 league appearances to his name. But, having just turned 22 years old, it’s fair to say that Naughton wouldn’t have envisaged himself plying his trade back in the Championship by this point in his career.

Contrast Naughton’s story with that of fellow former Blade Kyle Walker, and the difference is startling. Walker was relatively unknown compared to Naughton when they completed their moves to Spurs, having only forced his way into the Blades starting line up due to injuries in their run to the Playoff Final in 2009.

A loan move back to Sheffield United immediately upon completing his permanent switch to Spurs was secured and with little competition for the right back berth now with Naughton out of the picture, he started 26 league games last season for Sheffield United.

Powerfully built and with a great turn of pace, Walker is a completely different player to Naughton, and some would say, more suited to the rigours of the Premier League. While he may not be as versatile as Naughton, that may have been to his benefit so far in his fledgling career.

A loan move to Championship pacesetters QPR was sealed this season after impressing at his hometown club Sheffield United last term and fans of English football’s second tier were regularly treated to his rampaging runs down the right hand flank as Walker began to catch the eye with a string of man-of-the-match performances.

When his spell at QPR expired, under-pressure Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier sprang a surprise by signing Walker on loan until the end of the season from Spurs. His top flight experience is so far minimal, but he’s already scored a goal on his debut against his former club Sheffield United in the FA Cup third round and a fantastic strike in the Premier League against Fulham.

He’s taken to the top flight like a duck to water so far and was named in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the recent friendly against Denmark. At just 20 years of age, Walker appears to be held in higher esteem at Spurs and in the wider footballing community than Naughton is at the moment.

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